Namjoon remembered a time in which he was forced to wear a smile and embrace happiness that wasn’t there to hold, but before long, his faked happiness managed to become sincere. Tzuyu was snobby, and she certainly had an attitude that could put a hungry bear to shame, but that didn’t entirely mean that she was awful. Not in the way Namjoon had thought that she was. He had learned through time that she was really sweet when they were alone, was soft despite her harsh exterior, but above all, her heart was larger than anyone he had ever met.

When no one was looking, Tzuyu would put small gifts into his locker, nothing expensive or large, but just little reminders that he was in her thoughts. When his parents would fight, she would force him to go out and play arcade games, anything that would make his smile come back to his lips. He came to realize that it was her display of love, and though it wasn’t entirely physical, it was there and it was stronger than a hug that lasted a moment. Her love lasted eternally in his thoughts and in the brighter attitude he wore for the day.

Namjoon didn’t think that marriage would be possible for him, considering he still held another woman in his heart, but those thoughts went away gradually. Tzuyu waited like a rock, unmovable and patient while she waited for his heart to accept his loss despite the pain it must have bought to her. She smiled through it, and when she could no longer smile and pretend to be okay, Namjoon always figured out a way to sooth the heartache. It was a trail brought to them that allowed them to grow stronger not only as individual’s, but as a true couple that were in love, and continued to love.

Their wedding was small and surprisingly it was Tzuyu’s choice to keep it so, only inviting their families and those they had to thank for their relationship. Both the bride and groom were upset when Sang-Oh didn’t make and appearance, but a month after their wedding, they were surprised by an email sent from America. Namjoon knew that Sang-Oh had left to live with her father, but he didn’t know that she stayed away for so long, and had managed to graduate in a foreign environment, with top honors not to mention.

“Do you still think of her?” He was surprised when Tzuyu’s voice sounded through the newly bought house, bringing guilty eyes towards her own, surprised when anger didn’t take her features, but instead a smile that spoke of trust and love.

“Sometimes” Namjoon admitted while rubbing the back of his neck, his eyes scanning the last email sent from her iphone, showing that money was no longer an issue within her life, that somehow, she managed to pull through and become the success that she desired to be.

“She’s impressive” Tuzyu admitted while settling into his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck, but not in a show of jealously, only the desire to be comforted by his embrace, no grudge or hatred within the action.

“I had no clue she was with Jungkook” Namjoon spoke still in complete disbelief that the man she had become so close to, was the same boy she whined about at the beginning of her moving process.

He would have never found out either, that is if Jungkook didn’t knock on his door at a late hour with tears staining his face and snot hanging from his nose. He looked as though he just had the life stolen from within him, and to some degree, he did. He begged to know where Sang-Oh was, complaining about how stupid he was, and it didn’t take long for Namjoon to click the picture into place, considering Sang-Oh separated from him that night, only when Jungkook had come home and stormed off to his room. She didn’t wish to hurt the person in which she loved. He respected that decision now.

At first, Namjoon hated Jungkook for stealing away the person whom he loved, but as time began to mend broken hearts, he found himself growing closer and closer to the boy. Eventually, they had become close enough to consider themselves as friends, and Namjoon could understand why Sang-Oh could fall in love with such a mess. He was kind and often put others before himself but was also times where he was cruel and selfish, putting himself above anyone else. He was a broken mess and Sang was a tender person who believed that happiness should come to those who suffered enough.

It wasn’t until after the wedding did Namjoon and Jungkook end their friendship, considering Namjoon and Tzuyu were moving to China so that they could both pursue their dream careers. Tzuyu was a natural at the art of preforming, and Namjoon seemed to always be a step behind, but had finally caught up to his talented wife just recently. Eventually, they landed their first movie together and had been known as a powerful couple ever since.

“I’m going to bed…” Tzuyu whispered while a yawn passed through exhausted lips, the bags under her eyes proving her exhaustion further, Namjoon smiling before closing the emails and focusing his attention towards his future, letting the door to the past close for the last time in his life.

“I’ll follow you” Namjoon responded, loving the pure adoration that captured his wife’s lips.

‘I’ll follow you anywhere…’

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“It’s still awkward” Jimin complained, hiding his blushing cheeks within the palms of his hands, his eyes scanning the arrogant smirk that took the lips of his partner. “Stay there” Jimin warned, gasping when the male took a step forward opposed to obeying the commands. “I’m warning you Min Yoo…”

“Is it awkward?” Yoongi spoke so softly, so delicately that Jimin’s defense feel immensely, the hurt written on Yoongi’s features making Jimin wish to shrink into the size of a bug and be smooshed on by the shoe that claimed his lover’s right foot. “Is my love awkward Park Jimin?” His words, why did they always seem like poetry from a withering rose, a decaying plant that was once strong and beautiful.

“It’s not that” Jimin quickly defended, a heavy sigh leaving his lips while his eyes fell towards the concrete of the basketball court, the constant footsteps of running shoes constantly reminded him that he was out in public, and that if he expressed his love within the lights, then he would be judged harshly for it. Yoongi was the type to not care if others witnessed his emotions, he was fearless and incredibly strong, but Jimin? Jimin was weak when placed within the center of attention, when all eyes drew of hatred towards himself. It was unwelcoming, unsettling, and painfully unbearable.

“I see” Yoongi spoke and Jimin’s eyes finally lifted from the concrete, a sad smile taking his lips at the understanding from the other, but when his eyes met with a bored expression, he couldn’t classify his emotions any longer. “I’ll see you later then…”

“Don’t” Jimin barely managed to whisper the word, but his heart was screaming it with enough tension, that the world would have trembled at it’s force. “Please don’t leave…” Jimin wasn’t an idiot, Yoongi wasn’t just walking away from the court, no Yoongi was taking steps to leave Jimin’s life and Jimin refused to let him go. He never felt this kind of way towards anyone else, never felt so comfortable, never felt so needed and loved from any other person other than Min Yoongi.

“I won’t stay” Yoongi admitted as his hands fell into the front pockets of his jeans, clearly tired and done with fighting. He had been the soldier on the front line for to long, and it was clear that the fatigue and exhaustion was beginning to plague his typically strong body. “I won’t stay with someone who is ashamed to have me at their side. I’m not happy.”

Why did Yoongi always have to be so straight forward with his thinking process. In the world of Min Yoongi, there was never any grey, there was either black or white. That didn’t mean that Jimin couldn’t make mistakes and not be right, for Yoongi understood that to prevail in light, you must first bathe in darkness. He was patient, and he had been so patient for the entire year and a half of their relationship, but it seemed that his straw had finally bent and that he was no longer willing to be the fighter. It was his turn to turn in the sword and exchange it for the shield that Jimin hid behind.

“I love you…” the words came effortlessly from trembling lips, the tears painfully clear upon red cheeks and for a second Yoongi felt that he could endure their secret longer, that he could continue to be a secret within the life of the person he loved. For Jimin, Yoongi would do anything, but for Yoongi and his happiness… It was time to give up, knowing that the happiness would vanish any time anyone else was around, and he was introduced as a friend once again.

“Not enough” Yoongi spat the words despite how much his heart broke with the thought, his eyes staring away from the image that would forever haunt his nightmares, that would forever remind him why love was stupid and useless. Love was never happy, it was painful and torture and made you do stupid things, stupid things like staying a secret lover for a year.

“I love you!! Don’t you understand!” Jimin’s voice boomed through the court, his tears no longer small droplets, but streams running down his precious face. “How dare you try to leave me!? How dare you say I don’t love you enough!” He was angry, and he had every right to be. Yoongi knew that Jimin loved him, it was proven by the sneaking around he risked, by the thousands and thousands of bus rides that stole more time than they actually got to spent with one another.

“Prove me otherwise” Yoongi spoke flatly ‘prove to me that you can embrace me, that you are not ashamed to love me. Park Jimin, prove to me that I was wrong, that I should love you. Prove to me that you’re the person worth this pain, and I’ll forever be at your side, even when you push me away. I’ll stand strong beside you.’

Yoongi desperately wished that Jimin would kiss him, would hug him, would do anything to make a statement of love, but what Yoongi didn’t expect was when the male fell to his knee and fumbled inside of his coat pocket. He never would have guessed that a ring wrapped within a beautiful white lacey box would have been waiting inside of the jacket pocket. Yet he didn’t have a choice but to believe it, for soon he heard several ‘aw’s and oh’s coming from various directions, yet his attention was solely on the flustered male who bravely held out the ring and offered a shy sheepish smile.

“Will marrying me prove it to you?”